1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and particularly to an applicator of a gel or jellied material (hereinafter referred to as ultrasonic gel) for applying the ultrasonic gel to an ultrasonic wave radiating surface of a probe, to ensure a close fit of the probe to a patient's body and enable an easy penetration of the body an ultrasonic wave.
2. Description of the Related Art
The ultrasonic gel is applied to the ultrasonic wave radiating surface of the probe to ensure a close fit of the ultrasonic wave radiating surface to the patient's body and an efficient penetration of the body by the ultrasonic wave. To ensure this close fit, the ultrasonic gel must be entirely and uniformly applied over the ultrasonic wave radiating surface.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a prior art, FIG. 12 shows a conventional method of applying the ultrasonic gel to an ultrasonic wave radiating surface of a probe, and FIG. 13 shows the ultrasonic wave radiating surface of the probe with the ultrasonic gel applied thereto by the conventional method. In FIG. 11, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 1 is provided with a box 2 on a side frame of the apparatus. This box 2 accommodates containers 3 for containing the ultrasonic gel. When using a probe 4, an operator holds the probe 4 with one hand, with an ultrasonic wave radiating surface 4a of the probe 4 facing upward, and the container 3 with the other hand as shown in FIG. 12. The operator then exerts a strong gripping force onto the container 3, to squeeze the ultrasonic gel 5 out of the container 3, and applies the ultrasonic gels to the ultrasonic wave radiating surface 4a of the probe 4 as shown in FIG. 13.
As explained above, both hands must be used when applying the ultrasonic gel to the probe 4, and further, since presently marketed ultrasonic gel is highly viscous, the container 3 must be swung before squeezing the ultrasonic gel 5 there from when only a small amount of the ultrasonic gel 5 remains in the container 3.
Also, an excessive quantity of the ultrasonic gel 5 may be squeezed from the container 3, which is wasteful of the gel 5, or a too small quantity of the gel 5 energes and thus must be repeatedly applied to the probe after the probe is applied to a patient's body.
As shown in FIG. 12, it is difficult to uniformly apply the ultrasonic gel 5 to the ultrasonic wave radiating surface 4a of the probe 4 while squeezing the container 3 with one hand, and as a result, air exists between the ultrasonic wave radiating surface 4a and the patient's body when the probe 4 is applied there to, and the existing air finderes the radiation of the ultrasonic waves.